It costs the United States billions of dollars to maintain its military bases in foreign countries
Estimates indicate that it costs around $100 billion in a fiscal year to maintain bases and troops overseas
The US has over one thousand overseas military bases in 130 countries, according to variable military sources. American forces at these installations are assigned to perform military operations and hold joint training with the forces of the country where they are located, who are part of the peacekeeping operations. Moreover, the US has signed peace treaties with several countries around the world, and used its bases to force security and carry out quality operations against “terrorism”, following the September 11 attacks. This has ended with the American invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan in 2003 and 2001 respectively.
Some of the US bases are 50 years old, like those found in Germany, Japan, and South Korea, while others are somewhat recent, like those that contributed to occupation of Iraq.
Middle East Observer sheds light on some of the Arab, European, Asian and African countries where the US has installed bases.
Expenses
It might be difficult to put an estimate for the amount of expenses that the US allocates for the its military bases; some estimates indicate that it costs $85 to $100bn in fiscal year 2014 to maintain bases and troops overseas; other estimates indicate that it costs $156bn or more. The total with bases and troops in warzones is estimated at $160 to $200bn.
Why are there US bases abroad?
Well this might be an important question to ask, why are there US bases abroad in the first place?
According to Global Research website; the military bases and installations of various kinds are distributed according to a Command structure divided up into five enormous units and four unified Combatant Commands. Each unit is under the Command of a General.
The Earth surface is being conceived as a wide battlefield which can be patrolled or steadfastly supervised from the Bases.
Territories under a Command are: the Northern Command (NORTHCOM) (Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado), the Pacific Command (Honolulu, Hawaii), the Southern Command (Miami, Florida), The Central Command (CENTCOM) (MacDill Air Force Base, Florida), the European Command (Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany), the Joint Forces Command (Norfolk, Virginia), the Special Operations Command (MacDill Air Force Base, Florida), the Transportation Command (Scott Air Force Base, Illinois) and the Strategic Command (STRATCOM) (Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska).
It is to be noted, that the establishment of U.S. military bases should not of course be seen simply in terms of direct military ends. They are also used to promoting the political objectives of U.S. For example, U.S. corporations and the U.S. government have been eager for some time to build a secure corridor for US.-controlled oil and natural gas pipelines from the Caspian Sea in Central Asia through Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Arabian Sea. This region has more than 6 percent of the world’s proven oil reserves and almost 40 percent of its gas reserves. The war in Afghanistan and the creation of U.S. military Bases in Central Asia are viewed as a key opportunity to make such pipelines a reality.”
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia was once the host of one of USA’s air force command regional centres in Prince Sultan Air Base, where it deployed 5000 American soldiers and more than 80 fighters. It used the base to manage flights allocated to monitor flying ban that was imposed over north and south Iraq, under the international sanctions against it. It was also operating as a coordination centre between data collection and reconnaissance missions in the region and US Intelligence.
Yet, since mid-2013, nearly 4500 soldiers moved to the neighbour state Qatar, with only 500 lagging behind and were positioned in Eskan Village, officially named Eskan Village Air Force Compound, after the US ended its military presence in Prince Sultan Air Base.
Kuwait
The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment and a number of Air Force soldiers were headquartered at Doha Camp in Kuwait. They were fully equipped and armed. Among their armaments were M2A2 light tanks, M1A1/2 main battle tank and 80 fighters, as well as special rapid deployment forces.
Iraq
The US military installations located in Iraq are nearly estimated at 75, according to some military experts. Most of them are the Iraqi military positions taken over by the US forces after they invaded Iraq. The huge budget consumed by these bases have sparked wide American upset, following some news reporting that over one billion dollar was spent on them since the beginning of war.
United Arab Emirates
UAE is the location of another US airbase, in addition to several warehouses for logistic services. It also has 2 significant ports looking on the Gulf deep water, which are extremely important for big military ships.
in Europe :
Boydz and Krzisna air bases in Poland and the base Mihail Kogalinsino, and training area in Papadaj, and the port of the Black Sea Constanta in Romania, and Bulgaria Bazimir Graf Agnativo, and airport Sarafovo military, and areas of training at Novo Selo, and the ports of Agia and Burgas. And it can be placed troops in Lithuania and in Germany Ramstein Air Base in Belgium.
Germany
Ramstein Air Base is a United States air force base located in German Rhineland. It is NATO’s (National Atlantic Treaty organisation) central base for units and trainings as well as the headquarters for United States Air force operation in Europe. The Ramstein Air Base has a large housing community for troops including several hundred single family homes maintained. They also cater 11,000 available properties for rent in the surrounding communities where serviceman can take advantage of the overseas housing allowance. It is called the “little America” because of the 50,000 U.S. personnel living in the area. Ramstein Air Base is the home the 86th airlift which is the vital service for relaying equipments to battlefields and war zones and is also responsible for transporting injured and wounded people or patients to the nearby army hospital. The 86th airlift is commanded by Brigadier General Mark Dillion. The other operating units in the Ramstein Air Base is the 435th air base wing which provides rapid mobility and agile combat support for military operations under the command of Colonel John S. Shapland, and the 38th combat support wing which handle postal services to security geographically separated units. There are other smaller units in the base and some of them are the ones responsible for the air transport of aero medical mission like the 721st Air mobility group.
Italy
Hundreds of bases in Europe have closed since the 1990s, but the base and troop ( 11,500) presence in Italy has been relatively constant. Recently, the military has built new bases and expanded Africa-focused operations in
Bermuda Islands:
Pentagon uses these islands effectively to its aggressive purposes where he rented to military installations , 10% of the territory of the islands and has a military garrison here also numbering 1500 people.
